READY FOR CHANGE?
LET’S TURN YOUR STORM INTO A STORY OF STRENGTH
Counselling Rates in Victoria, Cowichan Valley & Online - Sliding Scale Pricing
Quality support shouldn't depend on how much you make. We offer three pricing tiers based on a counsellor's level of experience and training, so you can choose what fits your budget without compromising on care. Every tier is supervised, every counsellor is vetted, and your first session with a student counsellor is free.
We now offer direct billing to most major extended health plans, including Pacific Blue Cross, Sun Life, Manulife, Canada Life, and Desjardins. If you have coverage, we may be able to bill your provider directly, so you pay less (or nothing) out of pocket at the time of your session.
See the full list of providers →
Tier 1: Licensed Counsellors $150–$185 per 50-minute session
Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCC), Registered Social Workers (RSW), and Canadian Certified Counsellors (CCC) with full registration and years of hands-on clinical experience. What these credentials mean →
Best For: clients who want an experienced clinician, complex or long-standing concerns, or coverage through an extended health plan (this tier is what most insurance providers reimburse at the highest rate).
Tier 2: Counsellors Awaiting Registration $100 per 50 minute session
Counsellors who've completed their Master's degree and practicum, and are now finishing the supervision hours required for full registration. They already carry real clinical experience, just not yet the credential.
Best for: clients who want a trained, experienced counsellor at a lower rate than Tier 1.
Tier 3: Master’s Level Intern Counsellors First session free, then $35 per 50-minute session (or $70 for a couples session)
Graduate students in their final practicum placement (Master of Counselling or Master of Social Work), working under the close, direct supervision of our licensed team.
Best for: clients who want accessible, low-cost counselling and are comfortable working with a supervised student. This is also the best entry point if you're not sure counselling is right for you yet, the first session costs nothing.
Why work with a student counsellor
Working with one of our intern counsellors isn't a lesser version of therapy, it's supervised, structured, and often exactly what people need: someone with fresh training, current research, and the time to focus fully on you.
Affordable: $35 per session after a free first visit, the lowest-barrier way to start therapy in Victoria or the Cowichan Valley.
Supervised: every intern counsellor works under a licensed clinician who reviews their cases.
Current: students bring recent coursework and training in approaches like CBT, DBT, and trauma-informed care.
Selected carefully: we accept a small number of applicants from Master of Counselling and Master of Social Work programs, based on academic standing, interpersonal skill, and commitment to client care.
Areas our intern counsellors commonly support: stress and anxiety, depression, life transitions, relationship and communication challenges, and grief and trauma.
Tier 1: Licensed Counsellors
Tier 2: Counsellors Awaiting Registration
Tier 3: Master’s Level Intern Counsellors
We put you first! Strength in Heart is a counselling service in Victoria, BC. Our counsellors practice from a compassionate & client-centred approach & use a combination of various forms of therapy to empower clients to physically, mentally, emotionally & spiritually thrive.
We view each client as the expert of their own story & work with each individual to develop a customized therapy approach that is designed for their specific needs & goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Mainly experience and credentials, not quality of care. Every counsellor at every tier is trained, supervised, and held to the same standard of confidentiality and professionalism. Tier 1 counsellors are fully licensed and typically have the most years of clinical experience. Tier 2 counsellors have finished their training and are completing supervised hours toward registration. Tier 3 counsellors are in their final practicum and work under direct, active supervision from our licensed team.
-
Often, yes; our intern counsellors are trained in trauma-informed approaches and are closely supervised throughout. That said, if you're managing a crisis, a complex diagnosis, or something you've worked on unsuccessfully before, we may recommend starting with a Tier 1 or Tier 2 counsellor. We can help you figure out the right fit during your free consultation.
-
The free first session applies specifically to Tier 3 (Master's-level intern counsellors). Tiers 1 and 2 offer a free 20-minute phone consultation before booking, but the first full session is paid at the regular rate for that tier.
-
It depends on your plan. Some extended health plans only reimburse sessions with fully registered counsellors (RCC, RSW, CCC), which is Tier 1. If direct billing or reimbursement matters to you, check your plan's requirements, or ask us when you book, and we'll help you figure out which tier your coverage applies to.
-
Yes. Plenty of clients start with a student counsellor and later move to a licensed one, or vice versa, depending on their needs and budget. Just let us know and we'll help you transition.
Everyone deserves access to mental health support, whatever your budget looks like. Contact us to book a free consultation and we'll help you find the right counsellor and the right price point to get started.